Most homeowners will at some point have to deal with smelly drains. When a drain develops a foul odour, it can be a nauseating experience and it can attract annoying fruit flies. When you find yourself with a smelly drain, it is important to check the sink trap to make sure that the cause of the odour is not a problem with the drain pipes. If there is no problem with the plumbing system that will require the services of a professional plumber, there are a number of measures you can take to fix smelly drains.

1. The first step you can take to eliminate the foul odour coming from the drain is to add 3 cups of white vinegar down the drain. Let the vinegar sit in the drain for a few hours. Then, run hot water through the drain to clear out any organic matter causing the offensive odour. Your drain and pipes will be clean and odour free. The vinegar smell will eventually dissipate.

2. Baking soda is a safe product to use to get rid of bad odours in the drain. Pour about a cup of baking soda down the drain. You can also add vinegar to create a chemical reaction that breaks up organic matter in the drain. Let the vinegar sit over night. In the morning, run hot water through the plumbing system to get rid of the material and clean out the pipes and drain. The result is a fresh clean smell.

3. A mixture of lemon juice and salt is another effective method of getting rid of smelly drains. Pour the lemon juice and salt down the drain. A freshly squeezed lemon is a good choice. Let it sit in the drain for a few hours followed by running hot water down the drain. The lemon scent will neutralize all of the bad odours, and leave a fresh lemon scent.

To maintain clean and odour free pipes, you should flush the drain once a week with 1 cup of vinegar or lemon juice. It is important to note that there are commercial products available containing chemicals to get rid of bad odours and the accumulation of matter in the drain. These products can be harmful to children and pets. It is much healthier to use natural drain cleaning methods and it can often be much cheaper.

Smelly drains are nauseating and can spread throughout the entire home. The best way to prevent smelly drains is to adopt good drain maintenance practices. Flushing the drains once a week and making sure that food and other items that should not go down a drain are kept out of the drain to prevent bacteria growth are good practices to adopt because it will keep your home smelling fresh. If you have a smelly drain that cannot be resolved, it is important to enlist the services of a professional plumber as the cause of the odour could be the result of a serious problem with the plumbing system.

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